Finlandia-Ajo
Finlandia-Ajo ("Finlandia Race") is an annual Group One harness event that takes place at Vermo Racetrack in Espoo, Finland.[1][2] The competition, which was inaugurated in 1980, is regarded as Finland's biggest trotting event.[2] It is raced over the mile, 1,609 meters.[3] Finlandia-Ajo is part of the European Grand Circuit and the overall purse for the 2009 event was €190,000, equalling approximately US$247,000.[1][4]
| Group One International race | |
 Finlandia-ajo 2019 | |
| Location | Vermo Racetrack, Espoo,  Finland |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1980 |
| Race type | Harness race for standardbred trotters |
| Website | Hippos.fi - Finlandia-ajo(in Finnish) |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1,609 meters (1 mile) |
| Track | Left-handed 1,000 meter track (0.62 mile) |
| Qualification | Age 4-14. Invitational |
| Purse | €110,000 (≈US$116,000) |
Racing conditions
Finlandia-Ajo is decided through a one-mile race. The first eight years (1980-1987), the race was over a slightly shorter distance (1,600 meters, 0.99 mile), but since 1988, the distance has been one mile. The race has always been started by the use of auto start.[3]
Past winners
Horses with most wins
- 2 - Giesolo de Lou (1999, 2000)
- 2 - Napoletano (1988, 1989)[3]
Drivers with most wins
- 4 - Jean-Michel Bazire (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011)
- 3 - Stig H. Johansson (1988, 1989, 2004)
- 3 - Jorma Kontio (1985, 1986, 2007)
- 2 - Olle Goop (1983, 1987)
- 2 - Joseph Verbeeck (1998, 2003)
- 2 - Björn Goop (2010, 2012)
Trainers with most wins
- 4 - Fabrice Souloy (2003, 2008, 2009, 2011)
- 3 - Olle Goop (1983, 1987, 2010)
- 2 - Jean-Etienne Dubois (1999, 2000)
- 2 - Stig Engberg (1988, 1989)
Sires with most winning offsprings
- 2 - Biesolo (Giesolo de Lou, Oiseau de Feux)
- 2 - Quick Pay (Atas Fighter L., Born Quick)
- 2 - Texas (Grades Singing, Copiad)
- 2 - Super Bowl (Davidia Hanover, Napoletano)[3]
Countries, number of wins
- 11 -
France - 10 -
United States - 9 -
Sweden - 4 - Finland
- 1 -
Italy
All winners of Finlandia-Ajo
| Year | Horse | Driver | Trainer | Winning horse's native country | Winning time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Readly Express | Björn Goop | Timo Nurmos | Sweden | 1:10:5 |
| 2018 | Pastore Bob | Johan Untersteiner | Johan Untersteiner | Sweden | 1:11:0 |
| 2017 | D.D.'s Hitman | Ulf Ohlsson | Petri Puro | Finland | 1:09:8 |
| 2016 | Propulsion | Örjan Kihlströn | Daniel Reden | Sweden | 1:10:2 |
| 2015 | Bret Boko | Ari Moilanen | Markku Nieminen | Finland | 1:12.2 |
| 2014 | Univers de Pan | Philippe Daugeard | Philippe Daugeard | France | 1:10.7 |
| 2013 | Nesta Effe | Roberto Vecchione | Holger Ehlert | Italy | 1:10.9 |
| 2012 | Sebastian K | Björn Goop | Lutfi Kolgjini | Sweden | 1:11.1 |
| 2011 | Commander Crowe | Jean-Michel Bazire | Fabrice Souloy | Sweden | 1:13.7 |
| 2010 | Quarcio du Chene | Björn Goop | Olle Goop | France | 1:10.6 |
| 2009 | Igor Font | Jean-Michel Bazire | Fabrice Souloy | France | 1:11.8 |
| 2008 | Oiseau de Feux | Jean-Michel Bazire | Fabrice Souloy | France | 1:11.3 |
| 2007 | Opal Viking | Jorma Kontio | Nils Enqvist | Sweden | 1:10.8 |
| 2006 | Hot Shot Knick | Thomas Uhrberg | Kari Lähdekorpi | Sweden | 1:11.5 |
| 2005 | Kart de Baudrairie | Jean-Michel Bazire | Franck Leblanc | France | 1:12.2 |
| 2004 | Rotation | Stig H. Johansson | Stig H. Johansson | United States | 1:12.5 |
| 2003 | Kiwi | Joseph Verbeeck | Fabrice Souloy | France | 1:12.0 |
| 2002 | H.P. Paque | Trond Smedshammer | Trond Smedshammer | United States | 1:11.7 |
| 2001 | B.W.T. Magic | Ahti Antti-Roiko | Matti Salmi | Finland | 1:11.2 |
| 2000 | Giesolo de Lou | Jean-Etienne Dubois | Jean-Etienne Dubois | France | 1:11.2 |
| 1999 | Giesolo de Lou | Pierre Vercruysse | Jean-Etienne Dubois | France | 1:11.6 |
| 1998 | Dryade des Bois | Joseph Verbeeck | Jean-Baptiste Bossuet | France | 1:12.5 |
| 1997 | Zoogin | Åke Svanstedt | Åke Svanstedt | Sweden | 1:12.1 |
| 1996 | Isla J. Brave | Aki Antti-Roiko | Petri Klemola | Finland | 1:12.5 |
| 1995 | SJ's Photo | David Wade | David Wade | United States | 1:13.3 |
| 1994 | Copiad | Erik Berglöf | Erik Berglöf | Sweden | 1:12.5 |
| 1993 | Born Quick | Tommy Hanné | Tommy Hanné | Finland | 1:12.1 |
| 1992 | Otto-Mani | Antti Teivainen | Esa Aronen | Finland | 1:13.7 |
| 1991 | Atas Fighter L. | Torbjörn Jansson | Torbjörn Jansson | Sweden | 1:13.5 |
| 1990 | Florida Jewel | William Fahy | John Holloway | United States | 1:13.3 |
| 1989 | Napoletano | Stig H. Johansson | Stig Engberg | United States | 1:12.9 |
| 1988 | Napoletano | Stig H. Johansson | Stig Engberg | United States | 1:14.1 |
| 1987 | Grades Singing | Olle Goop | Olle Goop | United States | 1:14.1 |
| 1986 | Davidia Hanover | Jorma Kontio | Per Eriksson | United States | 1:14.7 |
| 1985 | Keystone Patton | Jorma Kontio | Antti Savolainen | United States | 1:14.1 |
| 1984 | Shane T. Hanover | Per Henriksen | Per Henriksen | United States | 1:14.9 |
| 1983 | Speedy Magnus | Olle Goop | Olle Goop | Sweden | 1:13.2 |
| 1982 | Dartster F. | Olle Hedin | Olle Hedin | Sweden | 1:13.9 |
| 1981 | Ideal du Gazeau | Eugene Lefevre | Eugene Lefevre | France | 1:14.3 |
| 1980 | Ejakval | Jean-Claude David | Jean-Claude David | France | 1:15.6 |
References
- "2009 Group I races calendar" (PDF). uet-trot.net. European Trotting Union (UET). Retrieved 2009-04-21.
- "Shorthanded Goal mot Guldbjörken". v75.umaker.se (in Swedish). 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
- "Finlandia-Ajo". qhurth.com (in Swedish). Retrieved 2009-04-21.
- In the conversion from Euro to USD, the rates of 2009-04-21 have been used.
- Hedlund, Thomas (2009-04-25). "Lätt för Igor Font". travronden.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2009-04-27.
- "Igor Font Wins Finlandia-Ajo". standardbredcanada.ca. 2009-04-25. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
- "Finlandia-Ajo 1980 - 2007". vermo.fi (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 2009-04-30. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
- "Travsport.se - Igor Font - Härstamning". Travsport.se (in Swedish). STC. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
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